لاnot شيءanything يدفعwards off حقthe rightful claim of خصمan adversary شاغبquarrelsome
لا شيء يدفع حق خصم شاغب
إلاexcept كحلفlike the oath of عبيدةʿUbayda بنson of سميدعSumaydaʿ
إلا كحلف عبيدة بن سميدع
Nothing can defeat a quarrelsome adversary's rightful claim
Nothing deters the rights of a contentious opponent
Except an oath like that of ʿUbayda ibn Sumaydaʿ.
Except the oath of Ubaydah ibn al-Samit
يمضيhe carries through الغموسthe perjured oath علىupon الغموسthe perjured oath لجاجةout of obstinacy
يمضي الغموس على الغموس لجاجة
عضbiting الجموعthe headstrong horse علىon اللجامthe bridle المقدعrestraining
عض الجموع على اللجام المقدع
He heaps perjured oath upon perjured oath, obstinately,
He insists on wrongdoing repeatedly out of stubbornness
Like a headstrong horse biting the restraining bridle.
The crowds bite on the bridle angrily
وإذاand when تسمعhe overhears حلقةa gathering أصغىhe listened closely لهاto it
وإذا تسمع حلقة أصغى لها
وإذاand when يخوفhe is warned بالتقىwith fear of God لمdid not يسمعlisten
وإذا يخوف بالتقى لم يسمع
And when he overhears a gathering, he lends it his ear;
And if you hear a circle, listen attentively to it
And when warned to fear God, he does not listen.
And if he intimidates with piety, do not listen
نزقimpetuous اليمينin swearing إذاwhen أردتyou sought يمينهhis right hand
نزق اليمين إذا أردت يمينه
بخدائعthrough the wiles of الشعراءthe poets غيرnot مخدعdeceived
بخدائع الشعراء غير مخدع
Quick with an oath when you seek his right hand,
Deny the oath if you want his oath
Through poets' wiles—he is not taken in.
With the deceptions of poets, not deceiving
يهتزhe quivers حينwhen تمرis presented حجةthe argument of خصمهhis adversary
يهتز حين تمر حجة خصمه
حذرfor fear of الضيحةdisgrace كاهتزازlike the quivering of الأشجعthe bravest
حذر الضيحة كاهتزاز الأشجع
He quivers when his adversary's argument is presented,
He trembles when the argument of his opponent passes
Dreading disgrace, as the bravest man quivers.
Fearing exposure like the trembling of Al-Ashja'
يخشىhe fears مضرتهharm to himself لنفعfor the benefit of صديقهhis friend
يخشى مضرته لنفع صديقه
ماwhat خيرgood ذيone possessing حسبnoble standing إذاif لمdoes not ينفعhelp
ما خير ذي حسب إذا لم ينفع
He fears harm to himself in benefiting his friend—
He fears harming for the benefit of his friend
What good is a man of noble standing if he does not help?
What good is a man of nobility if he does not benefit?
بذلhe offered الجليةthe plain truth ثمthen قالhe said وقدand already مضتit had passed
بذل الجلية ثم قال وقد مضت
للعلقميto al-ʿAlqamī خذtake الجليةthe plain truth أوor دعleave it
للعلقمي خذ الجلية أو دع
He offered the plain truth, then, once it was out, said
Giving charity then saying when it was given
To al-ʿAlqamī: "Take the plain truth, or leave it."
Take the charity, Al-Alqami, or leave it
Sol 6.1